Page 26

Until now.

My shoes squeak as I sprint down the hallway toward the audiology department of Golden City General.

Our plane took off thirty minutes later than it was supposed to thanks to the hurricane that hit G.C., which landed us back in the city at the same time as Vienna's first appointment.

So, I sped here—slick roads, dark skies. Like the storm is following me. But there was no way I was missing this. Not for a little goddamn rain—not for anything.

"Hey," I say, coming up behind my mom. I lean down to kiss her cheek, then pull V into a hug. "Sorry I'm late."

"You're fine," Mom says, signing and talking. "We're all checked in. Just waiting for them to call us back."

"Cool." I look at my little sister. "Are you excited?"

She smiles shyly and shrugs. "I guess. Mom said talking to them doesn't mean we have to do it."

"That's right. We'll just ask our questions and see what the doctor has to say."

She nods once, satisfied, then turns to my mom. "Can I get a snack?" she asks. When Mom looks at her, confused, she points to the vending machines lined up against the back wall.

I laugh to myself, pulling a five from my wallet. "Go nuts, kid," I say, handing it to her, then ruffling her hair.

Vienna snatches it from my hand, then darts toward the processed foods and high fructose corn syrup.

"You spoil her," Mom says as we both watch her feed the bill into the slot.

I sigh. "She deserves it."

"I know." She turns to me and lays her hand gently on my arm. "But you're here now. You don't have to keep making up for when you weren't."

I part my lips, thrown by her comment, but before I can respond, a nurse calls Vienna's name from the doors that separate the exam rooms from the waiting room.

"Make that make sense," I say, looking back at my sister who has no idea.

"Yeah," Mom scoffs. "I'll get her."

Moments later, the two of them—and Vienna's three different bags of chips—make their way back toward me before we all follow the nurse to V's room. We stay there, Mom and I talking about how Tom is at work waiting to hear how the appointment goes as Vienna houses a bag of kettle cooked. Eventually, our doctor walks in wearing blue scrubs and a bright white smile that eases my anxiety—slightly.

"Hello, hello," he says, waving at us and grabbing Vienna's chart from the counter tucked against the wall. "My name is Dr. Parth. You must be Mom?"

My mother smiles and nods from her chair, her fingers twisting together anxiously.

"And I'm the brother," I say, standing.

Dr. Parth's eyes light up as he extends his hand to meet mine. "Jace Holloway." He says my name like I might have forgotten who I was.

"Yeah," I chuckle. "That's me."

"I was just checking the game highlights on my way over here. That double play you pulled off?" He blows a breath through his lips. "Incredible."

"Thanks," I say, nodding and taking my seat again. I catch Vienna looking at me, one finger still in her mouth from licking off the salt. "Just happy I made it back in time for this," I say, signing so Vienna knows too.

Her shoulders fall slightly from her ears, and Dr. Parth smiles.

"Absolutely," he says. "Glad to have you all here."

I glance at my mom, deferring to her to translate for my sister, but her eyes are locked on the doctor like she's waiting for the other shoe to drop.

My hands move so Vienna knows what's being said, and she puts down the second bag of chips she was ready to open.